A few Summer Favorites (part 1)

Just a few favorite memories from Summer 2011

----- Fourth of July Bottle Rocket Launchers -----

built by the neighborhood daddies

with things like air compressors for extra power

----- Taking the Train -----

to EFY at UC Santa Barbara

staying in the dorms,

making new friends,

and stepping out of her comfort zone :-)

Abbie & Torra perform in the EFY Variety Show

(note:  Abbie borrowed Uncle Pete's guitar & taught herself to play the week before they left!)

Love it!

----- Burning All Your Schoolwork -----

from 5th Grade

----- Ocean Fishing with Dad -----

----- Roasting Hot Dogs & S'mores -----

in the backyard

(sometimes Jakey even got a little treat)

------ Lessons Learned -----

(i.e. you can accomplish anything if you just give it 15 minutes a day) 

and sometimes it's even kind of fun!

Porter (and I) set some goals to finish some scouting awards and church achievements, plus save $$ to go to MN next summer, etc...  He was not too optimistic about getting it all done when he looked at it all written down on paper . . . but he (we?) did it!

Here, Porter is working on memorizing the 13th Article of Faith (put to music)

I'm pretty sure the whole neighborhood heard him

 (the boy next door came over to ask if someone "was singing or something" :-)

Here he is receiving his Webelos Rank, Arrow of Light, and Religious Square Knot

plus bridging from Cubs to Boy Scouts!

so, yeah, the new boy scout shirt has to last a few years...

----- LDS Youth Conference Pioneer Trek -----

(More on this later - I think it deserves it's own post, but here's a few pictures)

Abbie with her Trek "Family"

Abbie - far right (above)

 River Crossing

 Good luck finding Abbie and I in this pic!

 ----- Working on Surf Skills -----

Surf camp stopped abruptly on the 3rd day
after teacher Tyler was stung on the ankle by a Sting Ray

which, we learned is wayyy more painful than a jellyfish ;-(
and peeing on it doesn't help - TMI? sorry...

(and then there's days that aren't so good for beginning surfers)

----- Taping of "So You Think You Can Dance" -----

in Hollywood with Torra and Abbie

to be continued :-)